In our first attempt at making soap on Capraia, we tried to produce sodium hydroxide
from seawater using electrolysis. This was scuppered when the windmill electricity
generator was blown down in high winds.

We then resorted to
dissolving wood ashes in water to give a dilute potassium hydroxide solution,
which we boiled with olive oil, but this too was unsuccessful.

By purifying
our starting materials, and paying closer attention to every step in the
process, our third attempt (again with potassium hydroxide) eventually produced
a liquid soap.